Counterweight.



I. G. HEDRIGK & V. H. GOGHRANE.

UOUNTERWEIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26. 1912 1,087,233, Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

l (mlllllilnllillllffi UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IRA Gr. HEDRICK AND VICTOR H. COCHRANE, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

COUNTERWEIGHT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

Original application filed July 31, 1911, Serial No. 641,650. Divided and this application filed September 26, 19-12. Serial No. 722,478.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, IRA Gr. HEDRIGK and VICTOR H. COGHRANE, citizens of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in counterweights, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to counterweights and more especially to a device of this character for use in conjunction with main counterweights in what are known as liftbridges, as illustrated in our co-pending application #641650, filed July 31, 1911, of which this application is a division, and our object is to produce a device of this character of simple, strong, durable and comparatively cheap construction.

To this end the invention consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and organization as hereinafter de scribed and claimed; and in order that it may be fully understood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1, is an elevation of a structure such as a bridge tower, equipped with a collapsible counterweight embodying our invention, and also shows a main counterweight underlying the collapsible counter weight. Fig. 2, is a detail View showing the main counterweight elevated and holding the collapsible counterweight collapsed. Fig. 3, is a vertical section on the line IIIIII of Fig. 4:. Fig. 4, is a horizontal section on the line IVIV of Fig. 3. Fig. 5, is an edge view of one of the guards of the collapsible counter weight. Fig. 6, is a side view of such guard.

'In the said drawing, 1 indicates a tower and 2 one of the usual counterweights employed to assist in elevating a lift bridge, not shown. Secured on the tower is a cross bar 3, or other suspension means for the collapsible counter-weight 4, suspended vertically above the center of the main counterweight 2, the means for raising and lowering the last-named counterweight being omit-ted as forming no part of this invention.

Referring now to the collapsible counterweight in detail, 5 indicates a series of horizontally disposed disks provided at four equi-distant points with outwardly pro ecting lugs 6 and 7, and pivotally connecting vertically alined lugs 6 of each disk and of "an adjacent disk and vertically alined lugs 7 of each disk and an adjacent disk,are

toggles consisting of links 8. Pivotally at tached to the ad acent ends of each pair of links of the toggles is a U-shapedguard 9,

adapted by contact with the outer edges of said links to preventtheni from swinging nward to a vertical position, and permit iting them to collapse or swing outwardly until each disk 5 rests upon sound-deadening blocks 10 or their equivalents, projecting upward from the underlying disk. The

guard 9, is held to the links by the same gpivot which joins said links, the base ofthe channel in the guard being angular, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6, so that bycontact jwith the outer edges of the links 8, the lat- I gter may never come to straightline position. When the lift-bridge is in normal position, the main counterweights are elevated jand their weight is augmented by that of the fully collapsed collapsible counterweights 2, the weight of the cables diminishes at the lift-bridge sides of the towers and increases at the counterweight sides of the towers, but this augmentation of weight at the counter-weight sides is compensated for by the successive unfolding or opening of the toggles of the collapsible counterweights; that is to say, as the main weights descend, the toggles successively expand and incidentally gradually diminish the weight imposed by the collapsible counter-weights on the main weights, it being obvious of course that as the bridge descends and the main weights ascend, the weight of the at that time expanded counter weights 4 is gradually imposed upon the weights 2, by the successive collapse of the said counter weights. It will thus be seen that at all times the pull on the said cables or chains is kept substantially the same at both sides of the tower.

From the above description it will be apparent that we have produced a collapsible counter weight for use in connection with lift bridges or an equivalent hoisting apparatus, possessing the features of advantage enumerated as desirable, and we Wish it to be understood that while we have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of the invention We do not desire to be restricted to the exact details of eonstruction shown and described as obvious modifications will suggest themselves to one skilled in the art.

We claim:

1. A collapsible counterweight, comprising a vertically arranged series of weights, links pivotally connected together and to adjacent weights adapted to fold or collapse outwardly until the weights rest one upon the other and to unfold or expand inwardly, and means whereby the unfolding or expanding action of the links is arrested to prevent the connected ends of the links from attaining positions in vertical alinement with the points of pivotal connection of said links with said weights.

2. A collapsible counterweight, comprising a series of horizontally arranged plates, links pivotally connected together and to adjacent plates, adapted to fold or collapse outwardly until the plates rest one upon the other and to unfold or expand inwardly, and means whereby the unfolding or expanding action of the links is arrested to prevent the connected ends of the links from attaining positions in vertical alinement with the points of pivotal connection of said links with saidplates; the links between adjacent plates being disposed at right angles to links connecting said plates to other plates above and below them.

3. A collapsible counterweight, comprising a series of horizontally arranged plates,

to arrest their inward or unfolding movement by contact with their outer edges be fore they attain vertical positions.

4E. The combination with a suitable support, of a weight and a counter weight chain suspended from said support over said weight and consisting of a plurality of horizontally arranged plates, toggles pivotally connecting adjacent plates at diametrically opposite points, and guards pivoted to said toggles and adapted to permit them to fold or collapse outwardly and to limit their inward or unfolding movement.

5. A collapsible counter weight, comprising a series of weights arranged one above the other, a series of toggle links connecting said Weights, and a U-shaped guard embracing the knee oint of each toggle, the channel through each guard being slightly angular in outline to prevent complete straightening of the corresponding toggle. Y In testimony whereof we affix our signatures, in the presence of two witnesses.

IRA G. HEDRIGK. VICTOR H. COOHRANE.

Witnesses:

F. H. GLIOK, AILY L. Hnnniox.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

